Evaluating and projecting high school recruits is an inexact science. Talent evaluators, scouts, coaches and NBA front offices all have notable hits, along with misses. We're always looking ahead with an eye on potential. But this time, we're looking back at the top of the 2024 SC Next 100 class.
This group had some obvious stars, even at the time, such as Cooper Flagg. But there were also some less obvious risers we perhaps should've picked up on. Kon Knueppel was a productive high schooler with upside; we didn't see him taking off this quickly. The same goes for Jeremiah Fears, a five-star junior who reclassified late and, in hindsight, was slotted too low in the final player rankings.
Injuries, role changes and development can make projecting high school players especially difficult. Now, two years later, this analysis has incorporated their overall résumé to date. So, how did we do in 2024?
Note: Khaman Maluach and Egor Demin, five-star talents who would normally fit among this group, are not eligible because they played their high school basketball outside the United States.
1. Cooper Flagg, SF
2024 SC NEXT 100 ranking: 1
Flagg was different from a young age. The Maine native reclassified after his sophomore year and eventually ascended to No. 1 in the rankings, then led Montverde Academy to an undefeated season and a Chipotle Nationals championship. "He had zero ego and never complained," said Kevin Boyle Jr., Flagg's associate head coach at Montverde. "He knew when to get his teammates involved and only cared about winning." At Duke, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists while leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four. He became just the fourth freshman to win national player of the year, before going No. 1 in the 2025 NBA draft and earning NBA Rookie of the Year honors with the Dallas Mavericks.